The Slow and Sad Degeneration Of Rap Music

Let me first say this- this has been a long time coming for me. I have long since noticed what is going on in the rap industry and thanks to that, my frustration with the artists, producers, parents and fans only continues to grow.

Anyone who really knows me knows I am no stranger to rap music. I hear it almost daily, but after a while I have to stop listening. Hip hop has transitioned since it first became mainstream in the eighties. Old school hip hop (think The Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five and The Fat Boys) inspired the new school hip hop (think Run DMC, Public Enemy, LL Cool J). But this generation of artists, I don't who's inspiring them.

Well, okay, that's a little harsh. There are some artists who have clearly inhibit the talent of their forefathers, artists like Jay-Z, Common, Eminem, Outkast, Kid Cudi, and yes, even Kanye. They bring back real hip hop back in bits and pieces, just enough to give this generation an idea of what hip hop really used to be.

And then, dear God, there are the others. Artists like Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Trey Songz (yes, your beloved Trey Songz is on this list), Snoop Dog (shudder), even Usher is starting to join the legion of young male rappers who seem to only rap about sex, making money, and big egos.

But I feel I should give specific examples of this, so let's take the top five r&b songs by male artists and look at some of the lyrics:

Usher's "There Goes My Baby"- In this single, Usher gives his audience a bit of both worlds, not losing his gentle, sweet side- "I've been waiting all day to wrap my hands around your waist and kiss your face. Wouldn't trade this feeling for nothing not even for a minute." Yet,at the same time, Usher's still speaking to what the record companies seem to think the world wants to hear- "I swear your body's so perfect baby, how you work it baby yeah...so please believe we gone be twerking it out by the end of the night baby."

Drake's "Find Your Love"- Now this kid, in the charts, this kid is hot. His song is a prime example of a kind of softer alternative hip hop beginning to make it's way across the charts. This is a truly, genuine love song though and Drake's voice is perfect for it. I'm proud of this kid for sticking to his guts and putting out there what he sees fit to be heard. "I bet if I give all my love, then nothings gonna tear us apart."



Usher's "OMG"- Usher, Usher, Usher, what happened? Surely he realizes that though this song is infinitely catchy, seeing a girl drop it low at the club does not equal falling in love with her. That's falling in love with her body. Sigh. "I fell in love with shawty when I seen her on the dance floor. She was dancing sexy, pop, pop, popping, dropping, dropping low."

Young Jeezy's "Lose My Mind"- Wow, Jeezy, wow. I didn't know it was possible to make a whole song about getting drunk and having reckless sex, but you've proved me wrong. I get partying, I do, but this song is just one in a common parade of songs almost exactly like this, and I don't just mean the theme. Everyone in the industry is copying after one another; originality is a thing of the past. "Security,I need help cuz the bitch stalkin'. A half fucking mill,that's what the whip cost me. One-hundred dollars,that's what the pussy cost me."



Ludacris's "Sex Room"- Do I really need to explain? I actually used to have respect for Ludacris as a rapper because even though what he was saying wasn't always that positive, I got the feeling he was going for a 'I know what I'm rapping about, isn't it stupid, maybe you should turn this shit off' influence, if that makes any sense. I don't know what happened; I guess the record industry got a hold of him, or the idea of making more money overshadowed making the best music he could make. "Damn right imma get that thang & imma put my name on it. All night imma whip dat thang, allstate better put a claim on it. I claim my territory, my tongue finna mark you up."

I said earlier in this post that the record companies seem to think this is all the people want to hear, and maybe they're right. The more this kind of degrading and just down right stupid music is produced and released, the more people buy it. Although record sales have been going down for the last couple of years, and I cannot remember another time in my life that I turned on the radio and heard song after song tell me to "drop it low and take it all off."

So what is the point of this blog entry? We can't stop the record companies and artists from putting on the music they want, and why should we? That's the freedom that comes with living in America. But it's not okay to let kids sing and dance to this, most of whom don't even know what they're really talking about. You wouldn't let your two-year watch X-rated porn, so why should you let them pop and lock it to a song filled with cuss words and extremely vivid sexual imagery ("Change Positions" by Pleasure P...need I say more?)

Hip hop is slowly dying, no doubt, and I can see why some people would take offense at what's being said here, but the hard truth is it's true.We can bring it back, but it will take people facing the truth and, even more than that, changing the circumstances for the better.

-Whitni